Sea Green Slytherin
by YouCantCancelQuidditch7
Summary: Serve like a soldier, take orders like a Roman, but never forget your roots. That's what Kalani Taylor's rules are on her mission. That mission being: Protect Draco Malfoy at all costs. But this plan has its flaws - first thing is that Draco is a Death Eater, one of the most loyal followers to the Dark Lord. The ultimate price - her life - is in the balance. There's no going back.
1. Camp Half-Blood

**Chapter One**

A lone mission - simple enough. Serve like a soldier, take orders like a Roman, but never forget your roots - those were Chiron's orders. He also told her not to get herself into _too _much trouble. Children of Poseidon were notorious for getting into trouble - Percy Jackson was a perfect example of this.

Having caught himself in the middle of two prophecies before his eighteenth birthday, her older brother was a mellow type of guy - until someone flirted with his two year girlfriend, Annabeth Chase. Then, he was almost as scary as their father. Now, he was lying on the sand by the lake, tanning himself while Annabeth studied feverously over college entrance papers.

Kalani Taylor inspected her room in Cabin 3 once more - spotless, except for a picture of her and Percy, which the whole Camp photo bombed. It hung on the wall in a frame. Out the floor-to-ceiling windows, Kalani saw Coach Gleeson Hedge letting Chuck Hedge, his baby, kick at the water with his goat hooves. Chiron was teaching his archery class. Across the waters, a bright light beam came down from the sky, then disappeared as quickly as it came.

Kalani gave out a sigh and walked outside the cabin. She took a few steps before a hand clamped over her eyes.

"Guess who?" a guy's voice said.

"Connor!" Kalani playfully pushed his hand away from her face. "What are you doing? I've already told you goodbye this morning. And my ride is just across the lake. They should be here any minute now - "

"If you think, Hula, that you're leaving without a goodbye," Clarisse LaRue growled on her right, "you are sadly mistaken." The daughter of Ares folded her arms, which were strong, but Kalani could tell she was playing. She rolled her eyes at her nickname and looked up at her best friends faces.

"Guys, you know I'm coming back for Christmas break." She picked up her bag. "Now let me go meet my - "

Connor picked her up in a hug. "You better come back. If not, I'm coming out there."

Clarisse grunted. "You two, I swear. Didn't you say you could write letters and send off?"

"Yeah," Kalani breathed as Connor pecked her cheek and sat her down. "I'll write when I get there."

Clarisse purposely tugged on Kalani's braid. "Good." Somewhere out by the volleyball court, her name was yelled just as the volleyball connected with the side of her head. Yelling in annoyance, she picked up the ball and stabbed it with her knife. "Gotta go, Hula. _I'll kill you!" _She charged after the twelve year olds.

Connor, her boyfriend of three months, slipped his hand in hers. His curly red hair was frizzy around his face, which had a mischievous look about it. With his upturned eyebrows and smirk-like smile, Connor Stoll was a true son of Hermes. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a leather-strapped necklace with five beads on it. He gave a smirked-but-genuine smile as he touched his bare neck.

"Since yours was broken during Capture the Flag." He stepped behind her.

Kalani blushed and pulled her hair off of her neck. "Connor, but your necklace -"

"It's my good luck charm, I know." He gently hooked it behind her. "But you're going to a wizard school in England. I think you'll need more luck than me. I'll be here, awaiting Christmas break."

By the archery targets, two men shared a hearty laugh and hugged. Chiron patted the old man on the back. "Albus! Good to see you! Come! Let's go talk to Dionysus. He has been waiting decades for a rematch."

Albus wore long purple robes with blue horn-rimmed glasses. His snow-white beard hung down to his waist. "Alright, I think I can spare time for a game or two before Miss Taylor and I must leave."

"Yes, I believe she is saying her goodbyes..." The two men walked off.

Kalani's stomach fluttered with nervousness. This wizard - Albus Dumbledore - was the most powerful wizard of his generation. Now, he was the headmaster of Hogwarts, where she would be until June, and her boss. Connor squeezed her hand.

"You better go say goodbye to your brothers," he reminded.

Kalani nodded distractedly and dropped her hair. She turned around and kissed him, quickly but lovingly. He blushed redder than his hair and scooped up her trunk, rolling it behind him as they made their way towards the beach. There her brother lay with sunglasses and swim trunks on. His strong and tanned muscles shown, but there wasn't a girl at Camp Half-Blood who would admit to liking Percy. His girlfriend, Annabeth Chase, sat next to him in a tank top and shorts. Papers were spread out around them.

"...I know we talked about college in New Rome, but Stanford is beautiful this time of year and - oh, hey, Kalani. Connor." Annabeth adjusted her papers.

Percy's left eyebrow raised, but under his sunglasses, his eyes were closed. Like herself, Percy had their father's jet black hair and bright green eyes. "Leaving so soon, Hula?"

Kalani kicked sand on him. His face broke out into a grin. "Don't call me that!"

"Okay, Honolulu."

"I told you! I've never been to Hawaii!"

Hula was her nickname. Since the war against Gaea, Aphrodite convinced the gods that when they claim their child, the child's clothes should turn into the dress of their ancestors. Lady Aphrodite had _meant _ancient Greeks. Poseidon was confused and Kalani had appeared in a Hula girl's attire because of her native Hawaiian background. Since then, the nickname "Hula" stuck.

Percy laughed and pushed his glasses to the top of his head. "Sure you keep telling me this. Anyways, what's up?" He frowned. "Why do you have a trunk?"

Kalani gave him a confident smile. "I'm leaving Camp. I'm going to England - "

" - which is across the waters and close to Greece!" Percy sounded like his heart was about to jump out of his throat. "No! You're not going!"

"It was Chiron's decision," Kalani tried. "He needs me to - "

"Kalani, across the waters - it's too dangerous for you," Annabeth cut in. "You're inexperienced - "

"I know that she can handle it," Connor vouched, noticing the downhill spiral it was taking.

"You don't know those places like we do!" Annabeth shot back at him coldly.

"You can't go to England!" Percy yelled at Kalani. "It's too dangerous!" He had a wild look in his eyes that was almost fearful. Connor stepped between Percy and Kalani.

"Man, let's calm down." Kalani then realized how much older Connor was than Percy. Connor had just turned 20, along with Clarisse, while Percy was still 18. Kalani's 16 was the baby of the pack.

"So you're _fine _with this?!" Percy yelled. "After the war happened? After some of your siblings died? You're okay with sending my sister into the meat grinder?"

"I assure you, Percy, that Kalani is in good hands." Chiron walked up on his horse legs with an older man tagging along, smiling as if the argument amused him. Ella the Harpy flew over head, landing on a nearby roof to listen.

"She can't go to Europe," Percy protested even stronger. "She runs the risk of - "

"There are demigods that live in England, Perseus. Kalani going to a boarding school up there isn't a problem. Now' I'd like to introduce you all to the Headmaster of Hogwarts - Albus Dumbledore."

The bearded man smiled at them, shaking each of their hands. It is a pleasure to meet you. I have read much about you two, Percy and Annabeth. You make a very fine team."

Annabeth blushed. "Sir, where did you read about us?"

"The phone book?" Percy snorted.

He beamed. "Our library just got a new shipment of books on the Prophecy of the Seven!"

"Books?!"

"I'll owl you a copy of my favorite." He winked at her with a grin,

Albus turned to Kalani. "Are you ready?" The trunk disappeared out of Connor's arms and into thin air. "We must be leaving. School starts tomorrow and you still need your tour of the castle."

"One more thing." Kalani hugged Connor, Percy, and Annabeth. She waved at Ella, who hid her tears in her wings. _Tyson must be with Dad, _she thought.

"Bye, guys. I'll see you in December."

Dumbledore offered her his arm. "Hold on. First time appartating always feels funny, and I don't want to lose you over the Atlantic. _That _would be terrible." He smiled. Kalani didn't find crashing into one of her father's secret dinner dates fun, but she smiled for his sake. She took his arm.

"Thank you, Chiron," Dumbledore said. "And tell Dionysus he knows where he can find me so I can win again."

The world twisted around her, and Kalani fell into the darkness.


	2. Exploring the Castle

**Chapter Two**

As soon as her body stopped twisting and the feeling as if she was going to break subsided, Kalani Taylor fell to her knees, holding her stomach. Headmaster Dumbledore chuckled and began walking forward.

"Appartating is always rough on your first try," he said. "You'll feel alright soon."

Kalani pushed herself up on her hands, feeling the plush grass beneath her. She opened her eyes and focused beneath her. The grass was a beautiful green. The air smelled like flowers and honeycombs. She had a metal taste in her mouth, which alerted her that she had bit her lip so hard it bled.

She sat up and looked at her surroundings. A stone castle towered before her. Towers excelled higher than the trees alone and the wooden doors had four knockers: a lion, a serpent, a badger, and an eagle.

Kalani looked around in awe. "It's beautiful," she breathed. As she rose to her feet, she could feel the magic in the air.

Albus Dumbledore stood by the wooden doors. "Spectacular, isn't it? It's been here for hundreds of years. But I warn you, even if the outside looks mature, the inside acts like a toddler. Our poltergeist, Peeves, is the mastermind of the school's pranks."

"Sounds like he would like Connor," Kalani muttered.

Dumbledore waved his arm and the door opened. The corridor was large. Stone floors led down different paths. Staircases moved and pictures were talking. A lady in a frame near the door let out a squeal.

"The student's are early!" Her dark hair was flipped over her shoulder. Her blue dress sparkled. "A Ravenclaw, I presume?"

"No, Lady Rowena," Dumbledore addressed. "This is Kalani Taylor. She's in Slytherin. This is the demigod who is going to help protect us."

Lady Rowena frowned. "Oh. _Slytherin. _A half-breed _Slytherin. _Yes, this will turn out _very _well." Her nose wrinkled as she spat the words with disgust. She stood from her chair, raised her chin, and marched out of the frame. Kalani saw her walking through the back other portraits.

Headmaster Dumbledore smiled, but it seemed forced. "You'll have to forgive her. That's Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder of the Hogwarts house, Ravenclaw. She believes in knowledge and hard-work. She also sided with Godric Gryffindor in the feud between him and Salazar Slytherin."

He began walking and Kalani followed. They spoke as they walked.

"At Hogwarts, there are four houses. Unlike at Camp Half-Blood, people are sorted into their Houses by traits, not by parentage. The four houses were named after their founders and people accepted have the traits each believed in: Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, and Salazar Slytherin.

"Hufflepuff believed in fairness and honesty. Because the students believe in this as well, Hufflepuff's usually come last, but you'll never find a friend as loyal as a Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw, as you have been told, believed in wit and using your mind. They're extremely intelligent and are probably going to be the tops of all academic classes, so don't get down if you aren't head of the class."

Kalani would've said that she was used to being low because of her ADHD, but he continued on with his story without missing a beat.

"Gryffindor valued bravery and chivalry. His students, like myself, were the ones who would give their lives for you. They're sometimes foolishly brace and forget the consequences, but they're almost as loyal as the Hufflepuff's.

"Salazar Slytherin valued ambition and cunningness, as well as a certain disregard for the rules. He also was a strong supporter of blood purity, so you won't see many half-blood's or Muggle-born's. You'll see some, but very few."

Kalani Taylor spoke up. "Um... sir? Why are you putting me in Slytherin? A demigod is brave but... Why?" She found herself at a loss for words. This was all a lot to take in, and her ADHD was flaring up badly because of all of the moving pictures. Her head hurt from focusing only on him.

"Come - let us talk in my office. Professor McGonagall and the other professors are waiting to meet you. There, I will explain everything."

The two went up two more flights of moving stairs (Dumbledore had to promise one that it would get a good scrubbing before school starts the next day) before they stopped in front of a stone door protected by a ten foot gargoyle. The Headmaster patted the statues head.

"Lemon lollies," he said.

The gargoyle jumped out of the way. A spiral staircase appeared. Dumbledore stepped to the side and allowed Kalani to proceed ahead of him. She walked up the spiral staircase and felt the same amazement as she did when Chiron showed her Cabin 3.

His office was huge. There was a slow revolving globe around a fake sun, along with eight other planets. Potions and books lined shelves. Pictures of previous headmasters were attached to the wall. A man with a green background and dark eyes smiled wickedly at her. "Well, you must be the one who disrespected Ms. Ravenclaw."

Kalani chose to ignore him.

His office made her want to pull out her fake wand and give it a whirl. Magic was in the air and it made her tingle.

Four people - no, wait, make that five; she hadn't seen the short man standing in the chair - stood around the room. Dumbledore greeted them with an amused smile, the same one he wore when he saw the argument back at Camp Half-Blood. Kalani looked around, pulling down her shorts. She had been yelled at by nuns at Catholic school multiple times because of dress code. She didn't want to start off badly here. Albus Dumbledore turned and beckoned her forward.

"This is Kalani Taylor. Professor Snape, she will be in your house."

A dark headed man with a hooked nose frowned as if she already annoyed him. "Headmaster, I mean no disrespect, but you chose her on purpose just by her outside appearance. Dark hair, green eyes, tan skin - she has a dark look about her." He was looking at her, but he wasn't talking to her.

Kalani frowned. "What do you mean 'a dark look'?!" Anger boiled and she felt the ground quiver beneath her feet. One portrait, the one who spoke, fell to the ground. The man, however, yelped and leaped into another canvas.

"Quit it!" he yelled at her.

"Control yourself, Miss Taylor," the small man advised. "Professor Snape is being a - "

"Flitwick, you know good and well that is the reason!" Snape barked.

The shaking ceased. Fists clenched, Kalani looked at piercing green eyes looked like mini hurricanes. "Is that true?" she demanded.

Headmaster Dumbledore shook his head, but his smile wavered. "No, dear. I chose you because you would appeal to a certain student because you're a natural Slytherin. I also knew that they would be suspicious of a male."

"Albus," a slender witch spoke, "maybe we should tell her the real reason she's here."

Dumbledore nodded for her to proceed.

The witch straightened her glasses. "Kalani Taylor, since you're a demigod, you have been invited here for a reason. Do you know what that is?"

Kalani stared blankly. "...To learn about witches and wizards?"

The teacher shook her head. "What did Chiron tell you?"

She thought about it. "Serve like a soldier..." The light bulb went off in her head. "Please tell me were thinking of different things."

"The wizarding world is at war, Miss Taylor. The Dark Wizard, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has returned. You are a trained fighter. This school has the protection spells, but He is recruiting. Some of his recruits are our students. One of these happen to be Draco Malfoy. He's a smart boy, a very talented wizard, but the Dark Lord has asked him to kill our Headmaster, if Snape has told us correctly. We need you to try to stop him, or at least, help us stop Voldemort. Protect our grounds. Help us win this war."

The plump woman professor rung her hands. "Minerva, she's sixteen. We're putting too much on her."

Professor McGonagall kept persisting. "Kalani, people are dying. If you could help us -"

"I could be killed!" she exclaimed. "I just got out of a war! I don't want into another!"

Gaea had attacked the lands on Camp Half-Blood. She was defeated by Leo Valdez, The explosion went off, the crowd cheered. Connor grabbed her waist and... The rest was history. There were other events that came to mind when she thought of the war... She blocked those memories out.

"No one is forcing you," Dumbledore spoke, "but it would be appreciated if you stayed and helped. Watch the ground for monsters or suspicious activity. Attend classes. Try to act natural. Watch Draco. Just stay a year and then you can forget all about us."

Kalani looked around the room, digging the toe of her sneaker into the floor. The portrait was still on the ground, but that didn't stop the pictures from watching eagerly. The short man looked hopeful, while Professor Snape glared at her.

"I'll stay," she grumbled, "but I'm not dying for any of your students."

Albus patted her shoulder and nodded towards the very large man with the bushy hair and stood up and pulled up his large britches, puffing his chest out.

"Hagrid, please show Miss Taylor around the castle tonight. Introduce her to her teachers. Here is her schedule." He handed him a piece of parchment. "And watch out for her. I would do the honors, but I have to scrub the west wing staircase." Dumbledore left his office.

The hairy man, Rubeus Hagrid, was at least eight feet put his hands in his pockets. "Well, heller' there, Mis' Tayler. Name's Rubeus Hagrid, but yer can call me Hagrid. E'eryone does." He motioned towards the four professors in front of her. "These are some o' yer professors: Snape, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher; Sprout, the Herbology teacher; and Flitwick, the Charms teacher. I dun't believe yer have him..." He pulled out her schedule and scanned it. "Nope, not him."

Professor Flitwick shook her hand. "I'll see you around the castle. If you need any help with spells, just come to my classroom."

"Thank you, sir." Kalani slightly smiled.

Professor Snape turned to her. "A word of advice, since I can already see your lack of self-control: Draco will never trust you if he finds out you aren't a witch. I suggest that, if he asks, you tell him you're an elemental witch. Take some private lessons with Professor Flitwick, let him show you some simple spells. _Make it believable." _

There was silence as she nodded, but she glared. Professor Snape hated her and she hadn't known him for an hour.

Hagrid cleared his throat. "Well, er, we should be goin'. Goodbye, Professors."

The three professors (not including Snape) smiled at them as they left. Hagrid led her up the stairs, where Dumbledore stood as an enchanted sponge scrubbed the nooks and crannies.

"We can start at the top 'nd work 'are way down," he said as they ascended the stairs. "'Easier this way."

Hagrid showed her the astronomy tower (which made her nauseous), the way to the Gryffindor common room, the classrooms, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff common rooms, the kitchen, the Great Hall, the offices for the teachers (All. The. Teachers.), the house elves lair's, the Potion class room, and lastly, the Slytherin common room.

Kalani Taylor frowned. "They're underground in the dungeons."

Hagrid tightened his lips. "Most Slytherin's deserve the dungeons. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy is one of them." He stood in front of the stone wall and puffed out his chest. Kalani didn't fully understand the annoyance brewing in her chest.

"Avidity," he spoke. The stone wall slid back to reveal a dimly litted area with a crackling fire, leather sofas, and silver vases with green Cymbidium Orchids inside. Kalani's face crept into a smile when she looked upon it, but her ADHD pointed out its laws: the unswept floors, the lights dimming below normal, the cracked coffee table, etc. Her Poseidon-Senses tugged at her, letting her know that they were located under the lake. Her smile faltered.

"Hagrid, sir, why would anyone think it wise to put them here?" She began to walk around. "If I never got to see the stars when I sleep, I think I may turn evil as well."

"This is where the original's placed it. Salazar Slytherin thought it would be a gud place, I guess."

"Obviously, that didn't work. Has Dumbledore ever asked them - the students - about a remodel?"

"Kalani, I'm just the grounds keeper. I know nothin' about the Slytherin's, nor have I bothered. Tom Riddle, a Slytherin, was the one who had me wand snapped. He is now the one who is killin' Muggles."

"Muggles?"

"Nonmagical folk. Only bad people come from Slytherin. The Malfoy's, the Lestrange's, the Black's - "

"Professor Snape?"

"If Dumbledore trusts 'em, I trust 'em."

There was silence as Kalani took another look around. "Is there anything else?"

"Yer can explore the castle, but the grounds 're off limits until tomorrow mornin'. If yer stay here, a house elf will bring yer supper. It's alright to come to the Great Hall as well." He awkwardly placed his hands in his pockets. "Until tomorrow then. Goodnight." The giant of a man stepped through the stone doorframe. It closed behind him.

The clock on the wall read 6:52. She explored the common room and then fell onto the couch face down. With no one here, she was bored. Forcing herself up, she went into the sixth year bedroom. There, she unpacked her clothes and pulled out a notebook and a pen. She wrote four letters in total (to Chiron, Clarisse, Connor, and Percy) before the house elf named Kreacher brought her dinner. It was grapes, cheese, bread, and fruits like the ones she ate at Camp Half-Blood. The house elf laid it at the foot of her bed and left.

Kalani ate her dinner before slipping on sweat pants and house shoes. She had a vague remembrance of where the owlery was, so she folded her four letters and set out in hunt.

She was proud to admit that she only got lost twice.

It took only one owl to send all the letters. She had to hunt for one knut to pay for him to send them. Kalani twirled her knife in her hand as she walked around, trying to find the common room again. She could see this place bustling with students soon. Without many people, it was quiet and overwhelming.

She finally found the common room, said the password, and sat on the couch. She laid on her back, trying to think about the school and revise a plan, but she wasn't a daughter of Athena like Annabeth. Thinking made her tired as well. Kalani rolled over and fell asleep with her knife strapped to her leg.

Her nightmares were worse than ever.


	3. The Students Arrive

**Chapter Three**

_The house was torn apart. The attacker had backed her into a corner. He was a dog - no, a wolf - who was snarling and growling at her. The man with the iron claws was on the other side of the room. He hit her mother twice. She fell to the ground. Kalani cried out, but the wolf stepped on her foot, which scratched the skin. The hairy man wth the dog smell growled vengefully and pounced on her mother, biting her neck with his canine teeth. Kalani screamed out once more, but the wolf nipped her hand with a terrifying bark. Her mother was motionless on the floor when the man howled at the air. Wolves flogged the home and Kalani was trapped on top of a bookshelf. How she got there, no idea. But she planned to stay there. The eldest female wolf finally coaxed her down that night when the others were asleep. Her mother had now taken shape into a wolf, snoring soundly next to the only other in human form. The bite on her hand stung, and she scratched until it bled. The wolf licked it until the redness had gone down._

_"Go find your father," the wolf had told her. "Tell him Lupa sent you."_

_At the time, Kalani was eight. She sniffled and rubbed her wound. "I don't have a father."_

_The wolf opened the door with a paw and led her out. Outside, another pack sat across the street in the neighbor's yard. "Go over there," the wolf advised. "Carl will take you to him. Until we meet again, Youngblood." The wolf returned inside._

_They never met again._

_The dream shifted. Kalani was in her fathers palace at midnight. The moon was high above the water, but Kalani was in her room screaming, crying as her human body was being torn into a wolf - a werewolf. Her father had called her unstable and left. Amphridite, his queen, stayed and calmed her, but Kalani whimpered. She explained how her mother had to deal with this all the time. Kalani's was only on a full moon. _

_But Kalani hadn't known that her father had brought Apollo to her room and asked for her to be healed. They had made a deal, one that she didn't find out about until years later when Rachel, the holder of the Spirit of Delphi, predicted that "the unbreakable vow would be broken" by her. The vision began to haze. It changed to he running up the hill to Camp Half-Blood with her mother snapping at her heels. She screamed for help. By now she was 14 and had spent six years secretly hiding in her fathers palace. Her mother's wolf belly bulged with pups and Kalani felt her stomach lurch. No, wait, that was her body. She tripped over a rock and landed on her stomach. Rolling over, her wolf-mother was launched midair with her fangs bared when a sword severed her head from her shoulders. Her lifeless body hit the ground beside her. Kalani looked over at the red head who saved her - _

She sat straight up on the couch in a cold sweat. Kalani rubbed her eyes. The room was freezing and her head throbbed. A note on the table read:

"Meet me at my hut."

Hagrid

She cried her eyes out and took a shower before meeting him.

Kalani decided to wear her Camp Half-Blood shirt and capri's. Her knife was strapped to the side of her calf while her sword was on her belt. With directions from a painting labeled "The Knight of London", she found her way to Hagrid's hut. The morning sun shown beautifully across the grounds. The hut had a smoking chimney and a straw roof. Rubeus Hagrid chopped wood outside with an axe, the loud _chunk _reverberating throughout the air. She walked over to him. He tossed his unruly hair out of his face and threw his axe to the side.

"Well, it's about time!" he scoffed, folding his large arms. "We must get goin'! I hafta show yer the grounds. Oh, an' yer can't wear yer sword when the kiddies arrive."

"I'm aware." She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. It was a habit she'd picked up from Connor when he first taught her how to sword fight.

They went on a walk around the grounds. He told her about the forest being forbidden (shocking, since it's name was the Forbidden Forest) because it was filled with monsters. "Not that I'm sayin' yer can't handle 'em," he assured. "Best to be peaceful." He showed her the Black Lake, the one above the Slytherin common room. She could see an eerie green light at the bottom from where she forgot to turn off the lamps. He told her she could never swim there because of the merpeople. She almost told him that she wasn't afraid of Ariel, but she didn't figure he'd understand the joke. Curfew was at ten and she needed to be out patrolling by ten-thirty until eleven-thirty. Classes started at nine so she should have enough sleep. He told her that she needed to visit every place he had shown her, even the small corridors of the castles and the bridge leading to Hogsmede.

Kalani looked around. "This place is huge. To cover all of it properly, it would take three more of me at least."

Hagrid scratched his beard. "Me an' Fang, we usually geddit dun in two nights... an' yer a lot smaller than us... I'll talk to Headmaster Dumbledore."

Kalani's hesitation was not settled, but Hagrid was oblivious as he continued on with his instructions.

"Tonight is the night the kiddies come. Yer'll need to patrol near the border until it's the last carriage, them hop aboard with whoe'er it is and ride to the castle. Ignored the Thestral's. They're really sweet if yer can see'm. Yer may wanna get some breakfast in yer. It's gonna be-a long day.

* * *

><p>Kalani Taylor swore never to think teacher's did absolutely nothing again.<p>

As soon as she had taken the last bite of her food, McGonagall stopped down on her like a hawk. Apparently, Kalani had chores for the day. McGonagall handed her a scroll, told her to meet up with Professor Snape when she was finished, and then cleaned the whole Great Hall with a wave of her wand. Kalani unscrolled her list and saw about thirty things on her list.

She finished her chores in about four hours (helping Snape sort his potions had caused half of the time. He had awful handwriting and her dyslexia was being worse than usual). Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher, was the last teacher helped, began screaming, "THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE HELLIONS TO ARRIVE! TO THE GATES, MY DARLING! GO!" Then she was ushered out of the classroom and the door slammed behind her. Professor Sprout had made her help move plants from her office to the green house. When she finally was able to meet up with Professor Snape, the sun was preparing to set.

"It took you long enough, Taylor," he growled. "The children will be arriving soon and we will be very vulnerable. Has that _giant _told you what you'll be doing?"

"He said I'd need to patrol and then ride back in the last carriage." Kalani looked around. She wasn't looking forward to this in the least.

"Unfortunately, the oaf is correct. You'll stand here and watch for anything suspicious. If you see anything -" he reached in his pocket and pulled out a black wand "- point this in the air and say _Periculum. _Try it." He handed her the wand.

Kalani raised her arm and said the spell. Three red balls of light shot into the sky and exploded. She brought it down as soon as it happened with a frown. "If anything comes, I think I'd rather use my sword. That's too flashy for me."

Professor Snape rolled his eyes. "Just do not kill any students. The train should be here any minute." With his dark cloak billowing behind him, Severus walked back to the castle to wait with the other teachers.

The train didn't arrive for an hour. But as that time elapsed, Kalani was pestered by the crows. No, not normal crows - that would be too easy, wouldn't it? It was the kind with the red eyes that shot their feathers like arrows. They were small, the size of normal birds, but they were very dangerous. Stymphalian Birds, Annabeth had called them when Camp Half-Blood was over run last year. Octavian had moved the Golden Fleece and the Bird's decided they wanted a front row seat to watch. Obviously they had to be taken care of, and Kalani hated fooling with them. They always travelled in packs and were evil devils. They reminded her of middle school girls.

One shot an arrow into her foot as it flew over her. Kalani grunted and pulled it out. She unsheathed her sword, glaring at the birds. "Seriously," she grumbled, "can't this wait until tomorrow?"

The Stymphalian's cawed as if to laugh. They leapt from the trees and flew at her. She jumped behind the stone wall and fumbled at her knife. Damn thing wouldn't come out of the leather strap... The birds sailed easily over the wall. Arrows rained down on her, but thankfully she had worn her armor over her Camp shirt. If she hadn't, she would have been a fish-kabob.

Kalani turned with lightning speed, swinging her sword wildly around her. It connected with one of the lower birds and turned it to dust. She used the momentum to swing herself upright and to hack more birds. Unfortunately, there were hundreds more she hadn't seen - sitting in trees, waiting patiently for her to get tired enough for them to overtake her. Their black wings and bronze beaks were menacing enough, Taking on hundreds - the odds weren't looking good.

A train whistle blew in the distance. Startled, Kalani allowed one of the bird's claws to scrape her face, leaving three distinct slashes on the left side. An idea flew through her head. It was unlikely that the teachers would catch the drift. The enchantment spells were taken down until the train had left. She couldn't hold off the birds until then...

Kalani Taylor ran away from Hogwarts. She sprinted towards the gate, but she was at least 200 yards away. She'd have to time it correctly, and even then not all of the birds might follow. She looked over her shoulder. A black wave followed, shooting feathers at her. One stuck her in her left shoulder blade. Kalani winced but kept pressing. Fifty yards away, she pointed her wand towards the sky, angling it so the flares to pass where the protective barriers would be.

_"Periculum!"_

Red flares shot out of the wand. For a moment, it was like nothing happened. Then, blue spells shot into the sky and a dome began to sew itself into the sky, as if someone was pouring milk on the dome and she was underneath it, watching it slowly slide down.

Two yards. Kalani turned outside the wall and stood with her back pressed against the stone. Black birds zoomed past, but they slowed into a black huddle, craning their necks to look for her. She rolled under the dome just as it closed all around. She heard students talking in the distance. The birds spotted her and cawwed. A hand full flew towards her. They hit the dome wall and broke their necks. The majority of the birds who didn't fly towards her flew into the trees, sitting and glaring. The broken necked birds turned to dust.

Knowing there was nothing else she could do, she trudged over to her backpack, where she changed into clean robes and combed her hair with no mirror. More birds were hidden in the Forbidden Forrest with no way out. They hid in the trees and watched in silence. Kalani walked towards the carriages.

The cuts on her face stung. Professor Flitwick, who was checking off students as they loaded into the carriages, saw her and gave a sigh of relief.

"It's good to see you, Miss Taylor. Join Draco Malfoy and the others in the carriage. We're running late." As she passed him, he whispered, "Good work back there."


	4. Kalani Taylor, Elemental Witch

**Chapter Four**

Draco Malfoy started off his sixth year at Hogwarts badly. For some reason, his girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson, was surprisingly clingy throughout the train ride. She had slept on his shoulder for an hour, and then yelled at another girl, the Hufflepuff Prefect, who had come into the compartment just to remind Draco that he had his patrol shift at three o'clock. She was a beautiful blonde headed girl, with it braided on the side with a flower tucked behind her ear. Draco couldn't recall her name, but for some reason she looked surprisingly familiar... Pansy had yelled at her, calling her a half-breed skank and almost chased after her, if it weren't for Crabbe and Goyle, Draco's loyal assistants - er, best mates. They stopped his psychotic girl from hexing the Prefect, who only smiled and shook her head as if the thought of Pansy trying to hurt her amused her.

At three, Pansy had insisted on a goodbye kiss before he went away. She wouldn't take no for an answer, even though he was only going to be gone for a little over an hour, and had pulled him into a kiss. Draco had tried to free his face of her carnivorous habits, but she was a strong little pug. Closing his mouth with force, he gently-yet-firmly pushed her away from him and escaped, leaving Pansy giggling. He never knew girlfriends could be such trouble. He would have just ignored his mothers wishes and went with _Potter _if he had known that they were so clingy and slobbery.

The blond girl met him at the head of the train in the Prefect's compartment, which was where he was supposed to be but he had dropped his Prefect's job this year. Blaize Zabini was supposed to take it over, but he had made the deal to let Draco patrol on the train and he would do it at the castle, because apparently he had "motion sickness". Draco found out her name was Katie Gardner and that she was in her seventh year here at Hogwarts. Draco couldn't remember seeing her around, but everyone around acted like they had known her since birth, so it didn't bother his mind for long. What did, however, was when a boy with sun bleached hair and tan skin walked around with the brightest grin was also a Prefect for the Ravenclaw's. Draco knew he had never seen him before, but yet everyone seemed to recognize him, calling "Will!" from down the train car and high-fiving him like they had been buds since grade-school. Third year girls swooned in the door ways after he passed them and boys nudged others when he nodded at them with a smile.

Draco Malfoy walked around and did his patrol. Harry Potter cut sidelong glances at him as he walked with Will, the boy everyone knew except him. He had introduced himself as Will Solace, and, like Katie, had been here last year. Draco didn't know if everyone else was playing a prank on him, but he didn't remember either of them.

He definitely didn't remember the only Non-Weasley red head, Connor Stoll. He bounded around, talking loudly and proudly boasting his Gryffindor robes. He came out of Potter and Granger's compartment, laughing. Draco saw Granger snickering, but even Potter was confused. He walked past the compartment. He didn't care about Gryffindor's. They were loud, arrogant, and nosy. Ew.

When the train stopped at the castle a few hours later, Draco had learned from Will that he was originally from New York and had came to Hogwarts during the school year. Apparently his father was a hot-shot actor in California, and didn't have time for him, so he was sent to a camp when he was out of school. Draco had asked what happened when he was out for Christmas break, and Will had explained that the camp was his home, that if you didn't have anywhere to go to during the year, you could stay for as long as you wanted. Draco found it suspicious that he never mentioned his fathers name, and he couldn't recall an actor with the last name Solace. Maybe he had taken his mothers maiden name...

Everyone boarded off the train. Zabini and Pansy lead the Slytherin's off the train and towards the carriages. Draco followed behind with his walking stick in his hand, trying to hang back. Apparently, the "new" kids did as well. Will was in the back of the Ravenclaw line, talking to a second year about some creature he had faced over the summer called a "Hydra". The boy was soaking in all of the information like a sponge to water, and Will was smiling as if it was all true. Draco didn't believe him obviously. A Hydra? Really?

Of course, with his luck, Draco was stuck with Will, Katie, and Connor in the carriage. Apparently, they were all three really good friends. They had grown up with each other since the age of eleven, but the red headed boy was repeatedly trying to steal Draco's walkin stick. Draco was contemplating smacking him with it when they heard Professor Flitwick say,

"It's good to see you, Miss Taylor. Join Draco Malfoy and the others in the carriage. We're running late."

The girl stepped in the carriage with a leaf in her hair and three distinct cuts on her face. Her Slytherin robe hung cleanly on her shoulders and she looked like she had been running. Her black Converse had dirt and drawings on them, and she looked around the carriage, confused.

"What...?" She shook her head and sat down next to Connor, who smiled at her. She looked around and smiled. Draco knew he didn't know her, so he frowned.

"And you are?"

"Kalani Taylor, elemental witch from Florida." She smiled at him, a lipped-smile, and he noticed her Slytherin green eyes. They were startling, but absolutely amazing all the same.

"Draco Malfoy." He stuck out his hand and they shook.

"Pleasure to meet you," she said.

The others introduced themselves, except Connor, who simply stared into her eyes and said, "Wow, you're eyes... They're like emeralds, lost at sea." Her face turned bright red as she blushed. Will rolled his eyes, Katie looked everywhere but at them, and Draco repressed an annoyed groan.

The carriage pulled up in front of the castle. Everyone filed out. Draco took the lead, ready to get away from Connor's annoying voice, and went into the Great Hall. Everyone was settling down to eat, and Draco took the seat across from Crabbe, who was biting at his nubbish fingernails like a dog. Kalani awkwardly sat at the seat next to Crabbe, who looked at her, allowed his sudden surprise to show, and began patting down his hair with his meaty palms.

"H-hullo..." he stuttered out.

She smiled. "Hey."

Pansy frowned. Zabini looked around in confusion. Draco shook his head to not laugh. Goyle looked at the empty seat next to him and frowned with jealousy. The first years began their sorting and then Dumbledore rose from his chair and began his yearly speech. He spoke about the Forbidden Forrest being forbidden and about how he welcomed the first years to the school and wished them well. Then, he smiled and announced that he had one last thing before the Feast began.

"This year, a friend of mine has offered a unique experience for one of our students. We sent Hestia Carrow, a fellow Slytherin, to America in a wizard exchange program. This year, Kalani Taylor will study with us, and Hestia will study where she is from! Kalani, will you please come up here?"

Nervously, Kalani stood and walked up to the podium and Dumbledore introduced her. "This is Kalani Taylor, and she will be in her Sixth Year at the Slytherin house. I do hope you treat her kindly and help her if she needs it." The student body clapped and cheered. She took her seat again and the Feast started up. People began talking loudly and Crabbe proceeded to slosh his Kool-Aid on the table. He belched and said,

"So I told that pathetic half-breed sonofabitch that he could rot in hell like his kind belonged." The table laughed, Pansy snorting more than usual. Kalani, who had been listening in on the conversation, frowned.

"Half-breed?" she asked quietly.

"You know," Blaise shrugged. "A blood traitor. One who isn't full Muggle but nevertheless has some of their blood in them."

Kalani nodded but didn't speak, continuing to eat her salad. Pansy Parkinson frowned.

"From what bloodline are you, Newbie?" she asked, spitting venom.

"Half-blood," she answered, looking up at Pansy with her calm green eyes. "My father banged a Muggle and got her pregnant. I was just a happy accident."

Pansy frowned. "Gross." She turned away from Kalani in attempt to ignore her. Kalani shrugged.

"If you were stuck in my shoes, I think you would understand, because it's obvious to everyone but you that your boyfriend thinks you're a disgusting piece of whore-meat." Crabbe choked on his Kool-Aid with laughter. Draco's face turned bright red. Pansy looked at her with pure hatred as she pressed her fork into the wooden table.

"He loves me and no one asked for you to _be born!" _she growled.

"Neither did I, but here I am." Kalani smiled.

"I like her," Blaise commented.

Pansy started to say something, but the Prefect's began showing people into their dorms. Blaize ran up to help Gemma Farley, and Kalani hung back and barely said a word when they left. Her scratches were becoming redder and she absentmindedly touched them with her hand.

"You'll get scars," Draco said from beside her.

She jumped slightly, but untensed when she noticed it was him. "Yeah, well, they're bothering me."

"I was just going to tell you to ignore Pansy. She's jealous." He nodded at her up ahead, where she was hanging onto Goyle's arm giggling. There wasn't a twinge of jealousy in his chest that should have been there. He looked back at Kalani. "She's rather psychotic. Almost killed a girl on the train ride twice."

Kalani laughed. "I can see that."

Draco allowed himself to smile. His facial muscles weren't used to this type of emotion though. His cheeks hurt after a second. He let it fall. "I hope you enjoy Slytherin. It's the best house here. Oh, and a word to the wise: If you want to make it in the Slytherin house, stay away from the Gryffindor's. They're annoying arses with nothing in mind except for their own personal gain. Connor over there is just the same. He looks like he must have failed a grade as well, but as retarded as he is, it must have been Kindergarten."

He noticed how something in her eyes seemed a bit hesitant to respond. She gave her best impression of a smile. "I'll try my best to stay away."

"Good. I like you, Kalani. That's rare for me. I don't like many people, and the people I like are the one's I've known for years. But there's something special about you. I can feel it, and I want to know what it is. I can tell by the way you listen, the way you act like you're eating your salad when in reality, you're listening in on our conversations. Isn't it a coincidence, Kalani Taylor, that the year that the Dark Lord is at his strongest is the year that you came here as an exchange student from an unknown school?" He stopped and Kalani stopped with him. The rest of the Slytherin's had continued down the passage way to the dungeons, and the other houses were heading upstairs. He turned towards her, pointed at her heart, and said in a whisper,

"I will stop at nothing to find out, Taylor. Mark my words. Those little secrets you have sewn into you, I will undo. I'm going to expose you for who you truly are, and I will keep you close. You're a possible ally, but I'm going to tear down the wall you have built up brick by goddamn brick - and you'll have to side with me. That's my goal this year, because I know that you can help me with something that will make this castle crumble below my feet."

Then Draco smiled, but this time, it looked like a snake smiling - right before it bit you. "So, are we friends?"

Kalani stared up at him. She forced the rage that was building up to simmer on the stove, trying not to blow her top. She unballed her fists, but her face was angry. "You have some balls, Malfoy," she growled back. "I just hope you can back up your talk. Because I swear to Go-"

"Merlin's Beard, you are feisty. It's a yes or no question, Kalani." The amused look on his face distracted her.

"My mama told me to keep my friends close but my enemies closer. I guess I'll have to with your room not far from mine."

Draco's viper smiled creeped into his cold eyes. "I hope I can sleep easy with you on my side. Have a good night."

He left her in the hallway, speechless.

* * *

><p>Pansy didn't help her current situation.<p>

Kalani had made her way back into the Common room to find some boys sitting on the couch, talking about their father's bloodline from Merlin. Kalani went straight into her room to look for some ambrosia for her face when she was blindsided by Pansy. The girl had hit her with a book in the back of the head, causing Kalani to stumble. She caught herself in the doorway, frowning at Pansy.

"What's wrong with you?" Kalani demanded.

"Did you cut your face shaving?" Pansy sassed, putting her hands on her hips with a smirk.

Kalani frowned. "No? Look, can you move so I can go to bed?"

Pansy shoved her. "Why? What's wrong with you? Scared?"

Kalani shoved back, harder than Pansy was expecting. The girl hit the floor and yelped when Kalani pinned her arms to the ground. Pansy began screaming and Kalani kicked off her shoe, pulled off her sock, and stuffed it in her mouth. Pansy gagged, but Kalani forced it in.

"Stop screaming, or next time it will be my fist." Snatching her sock back, she stood and pointed at Pansy's bed. "Now go to sleep and grow up. I hope everyone isn't like you because then everyone here is clingy assholes."

Pansy, wide eyed and terrified, crawled into bed quickly. Not another peep was heard out of Pansy, except for when she choked on her breath mints. The other girls, three of them, came into the room throughout the night.

Draco's warning rang loudly in her ears as she walked outside. Enemies... She had just made her first enemy, and he happened to be her charge. Oh, what a lovely way to start off her year.


	5. Pansy's Secret

**Chapter Five**

Kalani was surprised at how easily she could sneak out of the Common room. She was nervous before about how the rocks scraped when they slid away from each other, but no one seemed to hear her. No lights were flicked on immediately, and no voices could be heard, so with her sword tucked awkwardly in the leg of her sweats, Kalani made her way upstairs into the foyer. A greasy man with missing teeth and an ugly face frowned at her.

"Brought yer friends to help, I see? Could ye' not do it alone? Or is it too hard?" He scowled at her with pure annoyance in his eyes.

"I didn't ask for anyone to help me, sir." Kalani hesitated before heading outside. Hagrid hadn't mentioned this man, and she was unsure of who he was. A cat purred around his ankles. He folded his arms with a huff.

"My name is Argus Filch, the caretaker of this establishment. Every night when ye' return from yer 'outtings', ye'll find me and I'll lock the doors. If ye' forget" - he showed his grimy teeth as he smiled - "I'll give you detention. Understood?"

Kalani nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Yer friends are already outside. Now hurry up; yer wasting my time." Filch sneered at her as she walked outside the castle.

The wind hit her straight in the face, but she didn't care about that at the moment. Draco's speech had been driving her insane for an hour, and the reason he brought it up was because of Connor. She could feel it in her gut and it would make perfect sense. He was twenty and didn't make the cut for a seventeen year old Prefect. Draco saw right through this, unfortunately. She wasn't sure if he also saw through Will and Katie, but it was obvious that he knew something was up. He even brought up her coming when the Dark Lord was at his strongest... The thought almost made her shudder.

Connor, Will, and Katie were sitting in a dark corridor. Kalani only happened to spot them because of Will's glowing skin, which radiated like a miniature sun when it was dark. She had never noticed this, and began to wonder if all of Apollo's kids were like that. She figured it wouldn't be an appropriate time to ask. She had more important things to discuss with her idiot boyfriend, like how he shouldn't have come because he has just ruined her only chance of becoming good in her father's eyes. She knew he hadn't trusted her since the werewolf accident, but she hoped that if this went well, she may have some redemption.

Connor beamed and picked her up in a hug, spinning her around. Kalani kept a tight grip on her sword and wiggled out of his arms. He frowned, confused and a little hurt. "What is it?"

"Why did you guys come?" she asked point blank. No sense in beating around the bush. Of the three of them, her boyfriend seemed to be taken aback the most.

"Chiron said you needed help, so he hand picked us three and sent us," Katie said. "Is that a problem?"

"Draco knows," Kalani answered with a sigh. "That's a big problem."

"What does it matter if that jackass knows?" Connor snorted, but he was becoming more annoyed with every passing moment. "He's just some rich boy who hasn't worked a day in his life."

"Did Chiron not tell you anything?" Kalani said shortly before he could continue his rant. "Draco is my charge. I'm supposed to protect him and this school all of this year. I was told to pretend I was an elemental witch, but the only problem with that is I'm not. He knows you guys weren't here last year and he knows there's something peculiar about me. That's why he threatened to expose me."

"Do I need to kick his ass?"

"No, what you need to do is act like you don't know me. He told me that Slytherin's don't trust other houses very well. Gryffindor's are their enemies. If they see me hanging around you, Con, they won't trust me. I have to succeed here, no matter what the cost is."

"If that causes a strain on our relationship?"

"So be it."

Her three friends went silent. Will was quietly whistling "It's a Small World" while all of this was going on, and Katie was, like in the carriage, looking everywhere except at the squabbling couple. Connor was at a loss for words, so he frowned instead. The blood was rushing to his head, and Kalani bit her lip. It was the hard truth that needed to be spoken. They have been having trouble for the past couple of weeks. This wouldn't help anything but...

"We should really start patrolling," Katie interjected once there was silence. "I'd rather get in before midnight."

Not another word was spoken between Connor and Kalani throughout the Patrol. Will and Connor had taken the North and East, while Kalani and Katie had taken the South and West. It wasn't until it was over when she spoke up to him. "Good night," she said quietly. She stepped towards him for a hug, but he brushed past her.

"Night," he muttered under his breath. Kalani watched as he walked up the stairs with Will, who set a hand on his shoulder and said something, but Kalani was too far out of earshot to hear. Instead of following up the stairs, she looked back at the lake, where she couldn't swim, but Hagrid never said she couldn't talk.

Walking out to the Black Lake, Kalani Taylor sat down at the bank of the lake and looked out at the expanse of water. With her father's domain ahead of her, she could feel the tingling in her fingers when she was her most powerful. The Earthquake in the castle was nothing compared to what she could do. Her father had made Percy powerful, but his son had no idea of her power. She took of her shoes and dipped her feet in the dark water.

Kalani laid back against the grass. Connor had long been to bed, along with Katie and Will. She had never been close to Katie, considering their cabin length apart and opposite schedules. Her brother was close to Will's boyfriend, Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades, but Nico always seemed hesitant around her. Clarisse would have been a better suit for coming here than Katie.

As Kalani laid there, she felt a wet webbed hand wrap around her ankle and tug. She yelped and kicked at the water. Pale figures rose from beneath the surface, hissing and baring their teeth at her. Kalani jerked her feet out of the water, grabbing hold on her knife. They definitely weren't Ariel, though she guessed they wouldn't get that reference either. One reached over the bank and squeezed her hand painfully. It began to speak in hisses and grunts. Surprisingly enough, Kalani could clearly understand her?

"Who are you to be out so late? Disturbing our home? Waking our children? We have made peace with Wizards and have agreed never to bother each other, but you must play by the rules. Putting your human fins above my sons bed is not peace!"

Kalani pulled on her shoes – toms with green-and-gray stripes – and looked Th the merpeople. About twenty heads stuck out of the water now, with almost half of them carrying miniature tridents.

"My name is Kalani Taylor, daughter of Poseidon and Princess of the Sea. I would suggest you lower your weapons."

In shock, the merpeople's growls stopped. They stopped bearing their teeth and lowered their weapons. The one who was speaking released her hand.

"Forgive us, Poseidon's Heir. We mean no harm."

Kalani shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Sorry to wake your kids."

The merpeople stared at her, confused. A few bowed their heads and sunk back into the water. Suddenly, Hagrid's light flipped on in his cabin. Fang howled. Panicked, Kalani dove into the lake, completely dry. The merpeople screamed and one hit at her already scratched face with its pitchfork. Kalani shook her head and yelled for them to be quiet. She breathed deeply to calm herself. She could feel the bottom of her pants get wet the more she panicked. They dried off soon and the merpeople kept their weapons trained on her.

"You may be the daughter of our Lord, but you are not welcome here in our home!"

Kalani shook her head. "Give me five minutes. I have to get away from Hagrid."

Their leader, wearing a crown of grass, nodded suspiciously. Down towards the bottom of the lake, a light flipped on from the Slytherin Common room. Curious, she swam further in the murky water. Thankfully she could breathe down here. Two merguards followed her from yards back. She couldn't out swim them, but she would cause more damage if needed. Plus her fingers tingled with excitement. As she neared the window, she saw Goyle on the couch with Pansy, swapping spit and playing Tonsil Tennis. As Pansy undid his shirt, Kalani gagged outside the window. Draco's girlfriend chose Goyle over Malfoy? Was she blind?

"It's nothing new," the guard said behind her. "I pass by here often at night."

A cold smile played across Kalani's face. That could be useful if she could play it to her advantage… Goyle, who was facing the window, opened his eyes and made eye contact with Kalani. She dove under the window, breathing heavily. Goyle screamed and ran towards the window.

"Did-chu see that?! Some bloody mer-fug's were peepin' on us!" He pressed his hands against the window, looking out intently. "This one had hair! Black hair! Long, beautiful black hair! It must've been their Queen!"

"If the Queen is watching, she must like what she's seeing," Pansy cooed. "Come back over and let's keep giving her a show." Goyle chuckled like a pig and left the window.

Kalani looked at her watch – which, like her, was thankfully water proof. Midnight. Her eyes widened and she kicked off the windowsill towards the surface. Goyle yelled again, but she didn't stick around long enough to hear it. Waving at the guards, she clambered out of the lake, completely dry, and sprinted towards the castle.

Finch was waiting at the door, the cat now asleep in his arms. He glared at her with intense passion. "I been waitin' for half an hour!"

"Sorry, I thought I saw another Stymphalian Bird."

He nodded at the red mark from the Merpeople. "I see ya hurt yourself in tha process as well."

"Yes, well, all done. Sorry." Kalani dashed down the stairs, sprinting towards the stone door. If she could catch them and make a scene… She whispered the password to the wall and it slid back. She found –

Nothing. There was no trace they were ever there, except for a few strands of Pansy's hair on the couch. She sighed and walked up the stairs, slightly defeated. Maybe she could catch them tomorrow… She opened the door to her room. Pansy was laying in her bed, but she was smiling with her eyes closed. Kalani laid down, trying to be quiet, but Pansy didn't stir. Kalani smirked. Your-Whore-Highness didn't suspect a thing as she slept over in her bed. It will just be a matter of time before Draco finds out.

Maybe in the morning.


	6. Fake It to Break It

**Chapter Six**

The next morning, Kalani met Zabini and Crabbe in the common room. The whole Slytherin house was buzzing about the dark headed mermaid Goyle had saw outside of the window. He was standing up in front of the fireplace with his chest puffed out and a smirk on his face as he talked about it. Zabini rolled his eyes as the big boy ran over to the window for dramatic effect.

"… 'nd me 'n Pansy were down here, talkin', ya know? Well, I look over, 'nd this fuggin' merfug is watchin' us! It had green eyes - kinda startlin' eyes - and long black hair! Knock-out gorgeous, that's whut she was! So I ran over here and hit the window, 'nd told her to scram! She got scared, obviously, cuz she disappeared!"

The first years gasped, surprised looks on their faces. A fifth year girl was twirling her hair around her finger and giggling at Goyle, who never looked in her direction. Kalani shifted the weight of her backpack when Zabini turned and walked out. She walked with him, and Crabbe took up the rear.

"He's told that tale four times this morning, and the first years still get a jump out of it," Blaise muttered under his breath. "He didn't scare the mermaid off. He screamed like a little girl. I could hear him from the dorms." He gave out an annoyed grunt as the three of them walked up the stairs.

Kalani skipped two steps to walk next to him. "So he hasn't told anyone about him and Pansy?"

Blaise stopped in his tracks, a look of surprise on his face. Crabbe ran into his back and caught himself by grabbing onto a first year Hufflepuff's pigtails. "Him and Pansy? What are you talking about, Taylor? Have you gone mad?" He looked around him and then jerked his head to the right. "Follow me. We need to talk in private. Come on, Vincent." He marched past Kalani and into an empty classroom. It had animals everywhere. Maybe this was Biology... Blaise shut the door behind them.

"I know you're new here, Taylor," Blaise started, "but you need to learn to keep your voice down about any drama in our house. Word spreads like wildfire here and those bloody Gryffindor's are the worst. Now, tell us: What about Goyle and Pansy?"

Kalani set her messenger bag on the ground and sat on a desk. "Last night, I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd go downstairs and see if there was any books I could read that were boring enough to put me to sleep. I have Dyslexia - you know? Where your brain doesn't process words correctly?"

"I know what Dyslexia is."

"Okay, so I remembered seeing some books over by the couches and, as I was walking down, I hear Goyle and Pansy giggling. So I quietly crept to the bottom step and saw them kissing and" - she shuddered - "it was revolting. That's when the mermaid appeared. Goyle screamed and said that she was watching. Pansy suggested putting on a show for her and they began to make out again. I didn't stick around long enough to find out what happened next."

Crabbe stared in horror. Blaise looked ready to puke. Kalani crossed her legs and felt heat rise into her cheeks.

"Draco's goin' to have a fit," Crabbe whispered.

"Damn right he will. That's why we aren't telling him. Got it, Taylor?"

She nodded. That was the least she could do. Let him find out for himself... Find out... for himself... The lightbulb in her head flipped on. "But don't you guys think he deserves to know? If my boyfriend was cheating on me, I would like to know."

"You have a boyfriend?" Zabini asked with a slight frown.

"I don't know anymore."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to talk about it. I just have experience with the Cheated-On thing."

Crabbe made his way towards the door. "We're going to be late for breakfast. You know how I love my bacon. Sweet heaven..."

"This love triangle never happened," Zabini warned Kalani. "Draco has a lot on his plate. Don't stack anything else."

* * *

><p>At breakfast, Pansy and Goyle sat across from each other, laughing at each other's jokes. Draco sat next to Pansy, quiet, while on the other side of him, Kalani was being harassed by a weasel named Urquhart, Quidditch Captain of the Slytherin team.<p>

"You seem athletic enough," Urquhart pleaded. "We need a new Chaser! You look like you'd fit the bill!"

"I'm not interested."

"Oh, come on! At least try out!"

"I'm afraid of heights."

"You won't be that far up! And besides, your boyfriend is trying out for the Gryffindor team!"

Kalani choked on her pancakes. "My _boyfriend!?" _

"Yeah, Connor Stoll! Tall? Handsome? Ring a bell?" Her five friends became silent as they watched.

Kalani had a death grip on her butterknife. "If you believe that Weasley-look-alike that I am his girlfriend, you are the most gullible person on the face of the Earth. Now go away before I stab you in your damn eye."

Urquhart trudged away, his shoulders slumped. Kalani glared across the room at the back of Connor's head. His arm was around a blonde headed girl with curly hair. She stabbed the butterknife into the wooden table roughly. Crabbe cursed under his breath. Everyone was quiet. She picked at her food with her fork, avoiding eye contact.

"So," Pansy giggled slightly, "you're with the ginger? I didn't think you could make such a horrible mistake."

"Not anymore," Kalani muttered under her breath.

"And why not? As for Gryffindor's go, he's kind of cute. If kleptomaniacs are cute…"

Kalani swallowed hard. "It isn't important…"

Draco laid his hand over Pansy's. "Stop. She doesn't want to talk about it."

Blaise turned around to look at him. "Isn't that Lavender Brown?"

Crabbe nodded. "She's a bit obsessive, if you ask me."

Goyle and Pansy exchanged a glance, where Pansy gave out a pug-like snort. Draco frowned but shook it off. Crabbe kicked Kalani from under the table roughly. Ignoring him, she resumed eating and began thinking. Blaise Zabini chuckled as he turned right around on the bench.

"It hurts to say this, but it seems like we've semi-accepted you as one of our own, even if you _do _have a terrible blood-line, you seem to have the right attitude for one of us." The group began to listen as a sinister sneer played across his dark face. "I think a little bit of revenge is in order."

Crabbe's eyes lit. "Ah, yes! You're speakin' my language!"

Draco Malfoy looked conflicted. "I don't know, Zabini. Even though it would be my pleasure to deduct house points from the Gryffindor house, I don't even know if we should attack Connor. I don't even recognize him from last year."

"I remember him being here," Pansy spoke up. "At least, I think I do... I'm not exactly sure... But, I seem to..."

Zabini seemed to be thinking of ideas as he cut his omelet. His face was twisted into a frown and his eyes were squinted, causing his eyebrows to crease. "And where did you meet Mr. Stoll?"

"New York City over the summer," Kalani muttered. Her head was low and her hand was gripping the back of her neck. "He saved my life."

"How so?" Draco asked. His eyebrows, too, began to crease.

Kalani Taylor reluctantly extended her left hand. There, a jagged scar was cut into her hand. "A werewolf attack." She pulled back her hand and hid it in her lap. "I got it treated quickly enough that it didn't faze me, but Connor cut off its head."

"So you dated him to thank him?" Pansy sneered. "Stupid reason if you ask me."

Kalani gathered up her messenger bag and swung the strap across her chest. "Look, I thank you guys for trying to help me, but Connor will never fall for a plan. He's smarter than he seems and is really good at talking his way out of things. So I guess I'll just talk to him sometime during the day - "

Blaise slammed the palms of his hands down on the table. "_Act like you're dating Malfoy."_

The color drained from her face. Pansy shrieked, screaming names at Blaise that a lady shouldn't say. Crabbe stared with his mouth hanging open. It was a ghastly sight of chewed chicken and bacon. Goyle attempted to calm Pansy, but was too late. Snape had already sauntered over to their spot in the Slytherin table. He glared at all of them. His eyes seemed to train on Kalani for a split second longer.

"What a ruckus that has insued from this small group," he spoke in a low, calm voice. "Parkinson, I am forced to deduct 20 points from our house because of your... _colorful _language, and assign you detention with me for a week. I assure you, your house mates are very proud of your early deduction." He walked away, blowing hot air from his large nostrils. Crabbe shook a chicken bone at Pansy, who glared.

The other tables snickered. Connor Stoll laughed from the Gryffindor table and called out, "Nice one, Pancreas!" His table roared with laughter.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Stoll!" Professor McGonagall called out.

Pansy's eyebrow twitched with rage. "Do it, Draco. I don't care what you do, but I want him to feel pain. in fact, I'll hex him myself!" She jumped up, but Goyle pushed her down by her shoulders from across the table. She sat fuming with her arms crossed. As Kalani blushed from embarrassment, her scratches became irritated. She touched them gently and pulled away from the sting. The ambrosia wasn't working. Odd...

"It isn't a bad idea. I am rather good looking and rich." Draco rubbed his elegant hands together. "Shouldn't you break up with him first? It is rather low to cheat on someone." He didn't catch Pansy's glance at Gregory.

"I think we're already broken up." Kalani nodded her head in her boyfriend's direction, where Lavender had her head rested on his shoulder. The others didn't notice Will glaring holes in the back of Connor's head, but that didn't last long. Mail flooded in and Will squealed as he ripped open a single envelope. He seemed to radiate sunshine, and the boy next to him took notice with a confused look. The same owl Kalani had used earlier in the week landed in front of her. It carried two letters in it's beak, holding out a little leather bag on its leg. Draco reached over and dropped two Knuts into the bag.

"You have to pay them, you know." The bird flew away, along side with a large eagle which had brought Draco a tin of cookies and a roll of parchment. His cheeks turned slightly red as he tucked the roll into his bag. Goyle reached for a cookie, but Draco fanned it away.

"Mrs. Malfoy makes good cookies..." Gregory pouted.

"For me," Draco hissed. He tucked the can in his bag as well.

Kalani grinned at the letters from Clarisse La Rue and Chiron. She tore open the one from her friend. Three pictures fell out of the envelope. One was of her and Chris Rodriguez, her boyfriend-soon-to-be-fiancé. The other was of Camp Half-Blood, and last was of Kalani looking up with a raised eyebrow over breakfast. Grinning, Kalani read over her letter from Clarisse, which basically stated that she would be there to pick her up over Christmas Break and that she wouldn't be able to write much this year with college.

She then moved on to Chiron's letter. It read:

_**Kalani,**_

_**I hope you do not mind my sending of Connor, Will, and Katie. I received an urgent message the night before from the Keeper of Keys, Rubeus Hagrid, who requested the immediate sending of three more demigods. He stated that you were not going to be able to cover all of the grounds alone so I sent people that you would be comfortable around. I understand your hesitance to throw yourself out around new people. Your father was the same way. **_

_**If you need anything, Iris Message me or Mr. D. The poor owl, Quentin, flew all the way here in a storm and it took Annabeth four hours to calm the poor thing.**_

_**Chiron**_

_**PS: Percy says hello. He is writing you a note, but you know how distracted he can be.**_

Kalani smiled widely. Word from her camp was very good, but she couldn't deny that she had expected Chiron to write her. This was the first time that this type of mission had happened, and this would make her look very good in front of Zeus. As she folded the letter, Draco laid a hand on her shoulder.

"We have to leave for class." She looked up from her letters to see the students clearing out of the Great Hall. Stuffing them in her bag, she scrambled to her feet, exiting with Draco. He nudged her flirtingly with a wink. She couldn't help but giggle. Across the room, Connor glared holes in Draco's head. Kalani paid him no mind.

"I can't believe I'm actually playing along with this idea," Draco laughed. It was a warm laugh, but with a bit of a cold bite. It seems to become the vocal smirk.

Kalani smiled. "I can't believe it, either."

Draco pulled out his schedule and frowned. "Odd. I have Care of Magical Creatures after lunch on Wednesdays! I didn't sign up for that. Let me see yours." She handed him her schedule. "Hell, you have it too! I took it last year and was injured by some hippogriff named Buckbeak. Almost tore my arm off."

"Why do you take it this year, then?"

"I won't be for long, that's for sure. I'll talk to Professor Snape after classes. He'll change it. If not, my father will have something to say." He looked over at her and rolled his eyes slightly. His voice dropped to a whisper as he said, "I still don't trust you. Don't expect me to, either. Just because I'm trying to make your boyfriend jealous doesn't mean I don't think you and him aren't up to anything. Even though you do look hella good in that skirt."

Kalani's cheeks turned bright red. "Hopefully, I can change your mind and make you trust me. I'm very trustworthy once you get to know me."

"I don't know you."

They walked to their first class, which was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Severus Snape stood at the front of the classroom as the Sixth Years entered the classroom. His scowl deepened when a dark headed boy with glasses stepped in with a red head and a bushy brown headed girl. Draco and Kalani followed them in. Pansy patted the empty seat next to her for Draco to sit, but Draco pulled out a chair for Kalani and sat in the one next to it. Kalani ignored Pansy's glares. As the class began to settle into their seats, Professor Snape began to walk up and down the rows. When he stood next to Kalani, he stopped and glared down at her. His hook nose looked even worse from underneath.

"As you know," he began to lecture, "this is the Defense Against the Dark Arts. Most of you know me, but there's one here who does not. How unfortunate that she did not seem to read her schedule, as Mr. Malfoy seems to have it in his possession."

The red headed boy snickered behind his hand along with Four Eyes.

"Potter, Weasley - silence." The boys became quiet.

"Miss Taylor, when exactly did you find out that you would be attending this establishment?" Snape peered down on her with his dark eyes. Kalani bit the inside of her cheek.

"One month ago."

"One month. Obviously, you had more than enough time to brush up on the material that your fellow students would have already known?" He walked up to the blackboard and glared at her. She pursed her lips.

"I had time, sir, but I didn't have a chance to."

Snape's eyebrows raised. "So you didn't bother to take the opportunity to try to learn? What did you do at your school? Throw sticks at each other?" Unfortunately, this brought a chuckle to a few Ravenclaw's on the front row. Kalani's face turned red.

"No, we didn't." She reached for the scratches on her face.

"Well, Class, you should thank Miss Taylor, because you have an essay due next Monday on today's lesson..."

The class groaned, but Draco just rolled his eyes in Snape's direction. An hour and a half later, Kalani was already hating Snape more so than her first day.

Draco put his arm around her suddenly when they were walking the halls. Kalani looked up to see Connor and Lavender Brown snogging on the wall. Shaking her head, Kalani rested it on Draco's shoulder. Connor opened one eye as she passed and saw her, but closed it back. Once they were out of sight, Kalani separated from her group and into the girls bathroom. Wiping her eyes and washing her face, she returned.

* * *

><p>Will forced her to sit on the edge on the fountain while Katie fetched a pail of water. He shone sunlight from the palm of his hand and looked at the cuts on her face. "These should be healing by now... Did they bite you instead?"<p>

"Do those look like bite marks?" Kalani sassed. "I ate some ambrosia last night but it only seemed to have gotten more irritated. Especially during Potions when the fumes rose from the Amortentia that Professor Slughorn had made. Romilda Vane had been particularly interested in it... It smelled like fine pressed materials to me, and - "

Katie handed Will a bucket of water. "I think there may be a Galleon or two in there. If so, we should put them back."

"Actually," Connor Stoll said as he walked up, "I need them to pay back a bet I made to Ron Weasley." He reached in the bucket and pulled them out. He looked up at Kalani. "And what's wrong with you?"

Kalani didn't look at him.

"Oh, the silent treatment, I see. You're just mad because I kissed Lavender. It must be okay for you, then, to go flirt with Mouse Boy. I see." Connor threw his hands in the air. "I do like you ask me to and all of the sudden I'm doing it wrong?! Make up your mind!"

"That's enough, Connor," Will said. "Even if she is hanging around with Draco, that's what she was sent here to do. Not us. We were sent here to be her back up in case anything goes wrong. We're not here to make out with girls half our age in the middle of the hallway!"

"You saw that?" Connor asked.

"_Everyone _saw that," Katie sighed. "Seriously, get a room. You don't ever see me and your brother doing that. That's because he _knows _how disgusting that is to do that in public. That's like public porn." Her face became bright red in shame. "Sorry."

Will shrugged and faced back to Kalani. "Look, keep trying the Ambrosia, but take just a little bit more of it. If it doesn't work, go seethe school nurse. She'll know how to cure it faster than I will. I don't have my tools and Nico is refusing to bring them." He clutched his heart.

Kalani stood and nodded at Will. Then she stalked off towards the South Gate. Connor stalked off after her, his flying shoes fluttering in the September night.

"Just walk away from your problems, why don't you? It'll make my life a bit easier."

Turning sharply, she pointed her long sword at his throat. Will and Katie had already walked to the other gates, so there was no one there to see her.

"We're through, Connor. How _dare _you think that it would be alright to make out with that whore? Maybe she isn't the whore between the two of you. I know that you are a man-whore, and I'm sick and tired of putting up with your bullshit. She was the third girl since we started dating, and I'm done. I don't care if you stay or not, and we can be friends, but I am no longer your girl. I will never be again, and don't come crawling back to me like you did the past two times. Got it?"

Connor slowly lowered his feet to the ground, a shocked and hurt expression on his face. "Hula-"

"Don't." Kalani walked away. When she looked back, Connor was sulking across the lawn to the other gate.


	7. The Elements

**Chapter 7**

A week passed before Kalani found anything else out about Draco Malfoy. The two had been sitting outside, studying for the Charms test that was the next day. Draco called out spells and Kalani had to tell him what they did. However, she had multiple problems, and Draco took notice. She didn't recognize even the simplest spells, like Alohomora. He twirled his wand around his fingers as he leaned against the tree, his eyebrows creased as he thought.

"Where exactly did you go to school?" he asked. Kalani chewed on her lip.

"It... It wasn't exactly a school. It was like a summer camp all year round. It was located in Long Island, New York, which is practically right around the corner from New York, New York, one of the largest cities in the world. For three months during the summer, we studied magic and how to control the elements we were accepted into. You couldn't just say, "I want Fire," and you can suddenly bend and control that however you want in ten days. It's not like learning your ABC's. Have I ever told you the thirteen major elements?"

"I can't say you have." Draco raised an eyebrow with a cocky smile full of curiosity. "Please inform me on the ways of your _American _school. Do you eat fries and hamburgers everyday for lunch?" He laughed in his Backbiter style.

"No, Malfoy. Shut up and listen for once in your life. The 'Big Three', as they tend to be called, are three rare talents that are found in witches and wizards. They're Air, Water, and Necromancy."

"Necromancy? Like, raising the dead?" Draco's pupils grew wide.

"Er, that one is the rarest, but extremely powerful. There's only two children of those now days. One died. Never met her. But whatever. I'm Water, obviously. There are special things that come with these if you practice long enough. With Water, you can control most liquid and cause Earthquakes if you train in that area. I have learned how to do it, but those tend to drain your energy badly. With Air, you can learn to control storms and conjure lightning and thunder. If you take a Air wizard with a Water wizard, you can make a hell of a hurricane. My brother, Percy, has done it. Sorry, getting sidetracked. These wizards/witches are mainly the one's you'll see flying around on broomsticks. With enough experience, they can control the winds to carry them and they can fly. Water and Air wizards tend to be enemies because of their different personalities, so it is one reason why I'm scared to fly.

"Then there's Necromancy, which has some really dark magic involved. They can travel to the Underworld if they wanted to."

"Bullshit!" Draco laughed. "You're just pulling my leg, aren't you?"

"Nope, they get their own bedroom in Hades' castle."

Draco and Kalani laughed as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "You are a horrible liar, Kalani."

"Can I finish?"

He shrugged his shoulders in response.

She took that as a yes and jabbed back into her tale. "They actually _can _lift the dead bodies and make them walk around like zombies. Sometimes they actually can pull riches out of the ground, since Necromancy is an underground thing. Why the hell are you laughing? I'm being serious!"

"You're lying about what they can do!" Draco threw grass at her.

"Whatever you want to believe." She shook the grass out of her long hair and continued. "the rest are Thievery/Cunningness, Wisdom, Healing, the Hunt, Herbology, Fire, War, Love, and Madness. There is one more form of Elements, which is Marital, but that magic is only preformed by one lady, Juno. She smells, like, really bad."

"What's the Hunt?" Draco sat his wand down in the grass, rolling it around. He watched Connor Stoll across the lawn glaring at him, and Draco glared back as he listened to Kalani ramble on. She hadn't even noticed.

"Oh, that's an all girls thing. You can be from any Element and once you're trained, you can join the Hunt and live forever as the age you are until you get killed."

"That sounds cool."

"Yeah, that's what I thought when they were trying to recruit me. Thalia Grace, the lieutenant who is an Air witch, was making it sound so amazing. I almost signed up until she told me that any love interest in boys was forbidden."

"That sounds awful."

"Agreed." Kalani stood up and stretched, following Draco's glare with a confused look. Her eyes locked with Connor for a split second before she gathered up her bag quickly.

"What is it? Why can't we make him leave?" Draco complained, his pinched nose scrunching when he frowned.

"Because I don't want to be around him and Snogging Brown. Please, Draco? Why don't you help me with my spells somewhere else?"

Draco pouted, muttering under his breath about some dirty Weasley cousin who needed to keep his grubby paws to himself. He gathered up his bag, muttered a spell under his breath, and he and Kalani ran up the stairs as Connor's papers flew everywhere. He cursed in Latin. Kalani giggled as her and Draco watched over their shoulders, not paying attention to what they were doing, when Draco tumbled into a pair of arms.

Hermione Granger yelped as her papers spilled over her face and Draco Malfoy's head landed on her chest. He cursed loudly, pulling his head away from her boobs and looking very puzzled. "Who the hell are you?"

Hermione pushed him away and moved the paper out of her face, spitting a quill out from her mouth. Ink had spilled up the middle of her face like a racing stripe and tears welled up in her eyes. Kalani, holding in her laughter the best she could, pulled her friend to his feet and then bent down to help the girl gather her papers. Since she had not been introduced, she didn't understand Draco's appalled expression.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, you ignorant Mudblood?" he spat, his face wrinkled in disgust.

Hermione glared at him, opening her mouth to speak, when the boy with the glasses from her classes walked up with his wand in hand. His face was red with rage as he held it to Draco's throat, hand trembling. Draco didn't hesitate to return the favor, except his hand wasn't trembling.

"Why'd you do that, Malfoy? You're pathetic!"

"Wait!" Kalani yelped, holding a hand up to him as she straightened Hermione's papers. "Calm down, you two. This isn't worth blowing each other up over." Setting them to the side, she helped Hermione to her feet, who was looking around with embarrassment. People gathered to watch the oncoming fight, but Kalani walked near them. Her heart thumped through her chest. Looking at the boy with glasses and a lightning bolt scar, she stuck out her hand. "My name's Kalani Taylor. What's yours?"

He looked puzzled. "You don't know who I am?"

Draco gave out an annoyed hiss. "He's fuckin' Harry Potter! You know, the pain in my arse since the day I got here! He blamed the Chamber of Secrets being opened because of me!"

"Maybe that's because you were warning every Muggle-Born to watch out!"

"Well, your friend, Granger, obviously didn't heed my warning!"

They stuck their wands deeper in each others throat. Kalani took a deep sigh before looking at Hermione and shaking her head. "Are they always like this?" Hermione gave a shrug and a nod.

"Fine." Kalani let her arms relax. The boys began yelling again, getting into each others faces, when Kalani snatched the wands out of their hands. Draco yelled and Harry went to snatch back, but Kalani was walking away towards Hermione. "I really do hate boys. Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

><p>Kalani met up with Draco outside of the Slytherin Common Room, where he leaned against the stone wall. He glared at her with an icy stare as she walked up, giving him a slight smirk. The side of his mouth turned downwards.<p>

"You took my wand for one hour, Taylor, and humiliated me in front of the entire school." He stepped up in front of her, and Kalani realized how much taller he was. "Then you go and help Granger, who we don't associate with. What the hell is wrong with you, Taylor?!"

Kalani looked him in the eyes and shook her head. "Why is everything a social game to you? You have to be pristine with no outside blood in your pack, except me. Mind me asking why? It's a bunch of crap to me."

"Old family's stay with old family's. The new one's don't understand."

"You're sixteen, Draco, how much could you possibly understand more so than me?"

Draco continued to glare. "You'll never understand, will you? How hard it is to be like us? To have people like Potter and Granger watching our every move and blaming it on the Dark Arts? Have you ever stopped to think, Taylor, that we're the way we are because we don't want people we call friends judging us?" He gave a cold laugh, but his eyes didn't do the same. They looked cold and sad. "Even you will never understand. You don't have to stand in your family's shadow."

With this, Draco Malfoy walked into the Slytherin Common Room, his wand sticking out of his back pocket. She saw the faint glimpse of Pansy and Goyle snogging on the couch and heard Draco's hysterics, but she didn't stick around long enough to find out what happened. She walked upstairs and towards the outdoor corridors. If only he knew her family's large shadow.

Kalani Taylor leaned against the open windows, looking out at the expanse of Hogwarts. The wind seemed to be pushing the grass towards the Black Lake, where the waves lapped gently against the bank. Kalani turned her back on the waves. She didn't need to go for a swim, and she didn't feel like talking to water, expecting her dad to hear her. Like he would ever care.

"The Black Lake has a Giant Squid in it, you know," a small voice said next to her. Kalani flinched, but settled when she saw it was a blond headed girl with very strange glasses. "My name is Luna, by the way. Luna Lovegood. You're Kalani Taylor." Kalani could only nod. "I saw you from my bedroom the other night, after the others went back inside. You went for a swim in the Black Lake. You were under there for so long I thought that the merpeople had drowned you. Or that you had found Nargles, but that wouldn't be right. Nargles live on land, not in the water." The girl laughed hysterically.

Kalani was silent for a moment before daring to ask a question. "What exactly are Nargles?"

"My father knows. He's a brilliant man. He always says that if you go hunting for Nargles, you'll never find them. All you have to do is not to look for them, and they'll find you!"

She thought about it for a moment. That wasn't a bad idea. "Why is that?"

Luna shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. You should ask my father, Xenophilius Lovegood. He's the editor for _The Quibbler. _Speaking of that, have you seen my shoes?"

She didn't understand how shoes related with a newspaper/magazine, but Kalani stared dumbfounded. "What?"

"My shoes. Oh my, they seem to be always running around the place. Only problem is, they forget my feet! But I guess if they took my feet, I wouldn't have anything to walk on to go find them... I could use my hands! Thanks, Kalani!" The girl suddenly flipped onto her hands and went down the halls like that. Other Ravenclaw's didn't seem to bat an eye about it.

Kalani took Luna's unintended hint and looked at the door way back inside. The sun was beginning to set, and dinner was already over. She looked back out at the water, where it lapped happily against the waves. She looked around her, making sure that no one was around, when she took off her shoes and sprinted across the yard. From there, she swan dove into the Black Lake, away from the Merpeople's homes, and she swam out to the middle.

Here, water nymphs swam around her. One braided her hair and another played her a soft melody on a pair of pan pipes. She giggled and sat still as they tied the braid and placed a water flower in it. Kalani thanked them and asked them the easiest way to Iris Message from the bottom of the lake.


End file.
